Wall-board-handling device



Au 20, 1929. Ags. BLAN FORD 1,725,329 7 WALL BOARD HANDLI I JGDEVICEFiled Aug. 19, 1927 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Alsace 5. Bkqndf'or'd,

INVNTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 20, 1929. A. s. BLANDFORD 1,725,329

WALL BOARD HANDLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 19, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z5 jg x6l l i h Alsace fiBlandFord \NVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES ALSACE S. BLANDFORD, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

WALL-BOARD-HAN DLIN G DEVICE.

Application filed August 19, 1927.

This invention relates to a device for handling wall boards, and hasmore particular reference to an appliance for facilitating placing ofsheets of plaster-board or the like to ceilings and holding them inplace while being nailed or otherwise secured.

Sheets of plaster-board are quite wide and 'heavy so that placing of thesame in the construction of ceilings represents a qulte hard task andrequires tl'ieservices of at least two workmen.

- The primary object of the present nvention, therefore, is to provide adevice by the use of which a single workman may easily place the sheetsof plaster-bmird or the like held bv the'deviee.

To attain the above objects, the invention contemplates the provision ofa platform for supporting reception of the plasterboard sheets to beplaced, and manually collapsible and extensible means for supporting theplatform whereby the latter may be lowered for initial reception of theplaster? board sheets and then raised for elevating the same to thedesired position A further object of the invention is to make provisionfor facilitating placing of the sheets of plaster-board upon theplatform.

Other objects will appear as the nature of the invention is betterunderstood, and the same consists in the novel form, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in theaccompanying drawings and claimed.

' Ir the drawings, wherein like reference chair. -ers indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1' is a side elevational view of a wall board handling deviceconstructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the device shown in Figure 1;partly broken away and in section; v

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken upon line 4-4of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 taken upon ne 5-5 of Figure 2 andSerial N0. 214,166.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showingan end portion of the platform and one of the resilient stops orabutinents for maintaining the sheets of plasterboard upon the platformunder certain conditions.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,

the present invention embodies an elongated rectangular platform 5 whichis preferably of frame-like construction and composed of rigidlyconnected met-a1 end and side rails as shown. This platform is adaptedfor supporting reception of one sheet of plasterboard or the like at atime, and the side rails are connected by transverse braces 6 forreenforcing purposes.

Rigidly secured to the underside of the platform 5 intermediate the endsof the latter and adjacent the sides of the same are a pair ofdownwardly converging V-shaped brackets 7 whose lower intermediateportions are arranged in spaced vertical relation and provided withtransversely aligned apertures adapted for snug reception of the squaredend portions 8 of a pin. or pivot bolt 9.

The invention further embodies an extensible support preferably in thenature of a column composed of telescopic sections 10 and 11, and thesmaller upper section 11 of the column is provided at its upper end withi a pair of spaced posts 12 in which the pivot pin or bolt'9 isjournaled so that the platform 5 is pivotally mounted upon the columnfor tilting about a horizontal axis. The ends of the pivot pin or bolt 9are provided with reduced extensions on which are threaded nuts 13 forretaining the brackets 7 engaged with the polygonal portions 8 of thepivot pin or bolt 9 whereby tilting of the platform will effect turningmovement of said pivot pin or bolt, in an obvious manner. A gear wheel14 is secured upon the intermediate portion of the pivot pin or bolt-9between the posts 12, and the teeth of this gear 14 are normally engagedby means of a spring pressed pawl 15 carried by the upper end of thecolumn section 11 so that turning movement of the bolt 9 is freelypermitted in one direction and prevented in the other direction exceptwhen the pawl 15 is manually released. In this way, the platform 5 maybe tilted to an inclined position by turning the pivot pin or bolt 9 ina clock-wise direction a iew in F e 1, upon release f he that theplatform 5 as viewed in Figure 1, the teeth of the gear 11 freelyratcheting past the pawl 15 in this operation. Suitable rigid lugs 16are provided upon the outer sides of the posts 12' in position to beengaged by the brackets 7 for limiting; the upward swinging movement ofthe platform 5 to a position wherein the same is horizontal, and whenthe platform is so positioned horizontally, it will be effectivelymaintained in such position by the pawl 15 unless the latter is manuallyreleased from the gear 14. Suitable stops 17 are provided at the end ofthe platform 5 which is lowermost when the platform is tilted to aninclined position, and these stops project upwardly above the plane ofthe platform 5 at the end of the latter as shown in Figure 6 to engagethe adjacent end edge of the sheet of plaster-board so that the latterwill not slide off of the platform when in an inclined position. The.stops 17 are preferably provided at the corners of the platform andpreferably consist of resilient strips secured at their inner ends as at18 to the platform and curved to extend around the adjacent end rail ofthe platform and then upwardly past the latter. The stops further embodyhorizontal free end portions 19 adapted to engage the ceiling frameconstruction slightly prior to final upward movement of the platform andengagement of the sheet of plaster-board with the ceiling frame construction. It willthus be seen that the stops 1'? are forced downwardlyin placing the sheet of plaster-board until the end portions 19 areflush with the upper surface of the sheet of plaster-board and the stopsplaced under tension so as to have a steadying effect upon the platform.

The extensible. column is preferably mounted for revolving about averticalaxis so may be turned to the desired position for properlyplacing the sheets of plaster-board, and for this purpose the lowersection of the column is rotatably fitted in a socket 20 at its lowerend. The socket 20 consists of a cylindrical base flanged at its lowerend as at 21 and rigidly secured through its flange as at 22 upon arelatively large horizontal support 23 provided with castor wheels 24.or the like for facilitating ready movement of the device from place toplace. It Will be seen that with the end portions 19 of the stops 17engaged with the ceiling frame construction, the column will beeffectively prevented from turning in the base member 20 so that thesheet of plasterboard may not be readily displaced from proper position,preparatory to or during the nailing or securing operation.

The extension or collapsing of the column is preferably effected bymovement of the 11 )per column section 11 through the medium of av rackand pinion mechanism. For this purpose, the upper column section 11 isprovided with a longitudinal series of openings 25 which present whatmay be termed rack teeth bllfiltlJQt-WBQH, and these teeth are engagedby a spur gear or pinion 26 which is secured upon a horizontal shaft 27that is journaled in a pair of external ears 28 rigid ly provided uponthe upper end of the lower column section 10. The gear or pinion 26 isdisposed between the cars 28 and in registry with an opening 29 providedin the column section 10 so that said pinion 26 projects through theopening 29 into engagement with the teeth of the column section 11. Itis thus apparent that upon turning the pinion 26 the uppercolumn section11 may be raised and lowered for effecting extension or collapse of thecolumn. To facilitate turning of the pinion 26 the shaft 27 may beextended at one end and provided with a rigid crank or handle 30. and inorder to prevent turning of the pinion 26 freely in a direction forpermitting lowering of the column section 11, a suitably actuated pawl31 may be carried by one of the ears 28 in position to engage a ratchetwheel 32 fixed upon the shaft 27. It will be seen that the pinion 26will be prevented from turning to allow the section 11 of the column tolower. by means of the pawl 31 unless said pawl be manually released,although turning of the pinion 26 in the opposite direction toeffectraising of the column section 11 is freely permitted by said pawl:31. Thus, positive retention of the column section 11 in extended orraised position is ensured. In operation. the pawl 31 is released so asto allow the pinion 26 to turn and the column section 11 to lower. Thepawl 17 is then manually released and the platform 5 tilted to aninclined position so that the brackets 7 move away from the lugs 16. Thesheet of plaster-board is then placed upon the platform 5 with an endedge engaging the inner sides of the stops 17 as shown in Figure 6.whereupon the platform 5 is returned to its horizontal position as shownin Figure 1. The crank or handle 30 is then turned in a clock-wisedirection to effect. raising of the column section 11 until the sheet ofplaster-board is brought into proper place for being secured, theplatform 5 being swung horizontally and the device moved over thesupporting surface, if found necessary, to effect proper placing of theplatform and the sheet of plaster-board disposed thereon. With the sheetof plasterboard thus held in posit-ion by the device the operator willhavev both hands free to nail or otherwise secure the sheet ofplasterboard in place, as is apparent.

From the foreging description it is believed that the construction andoperation as well as the advantages of the present invention will bereadily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

\Vhat I-claim as new is 1. A wall board handling device including avertically extensible support, and a platform adapted for supportingreception of a sheet of plaster-board or the like and pivotally mountedupon the upper end of the support for tilting about a horizontal axis,

means to limit tilting movement of the platform in one direction to aposition wherein the platform is horizontally disposed, and manuallyreleasable means for preventing tilting of the platform in the oppositedirection, and stop means carried by the end of the platform which islowermost when the platform is tilted in said other direction andarranged to engage an end edge of a sheet of plaster-board disposed uponthe platform,

said stop means embodying resilient. members adapted to engage and to bedepressed by a ceiling frame construction prior to engagement of thesheet of plaster-board with the latter for steadying the platform.

2. In a vertically shiftable tiltable platform designed to lift and holdwall board in horizontal position for securing, means includingresilient stops secured to the platform adjacent to one edge thereofdesigned to engage an adjacent edge of a wall board in positionthereagainst when the same is tilted, and shiftable when the board hasbeen raised to position to release the same.

3. In a vertically shiftable tiltable platform designed to lift and holdwall board in horizontal position for securing, means includingresilient stops secured to the platform adjacent to one edge thereofdesigned to engage .an adjacent edge of a wall board in positionthereagainst when the same 'is t ted, and shiftable through contact withthe snucture to which the board is to'be secured, to disengage the boardto facilitate its arrangement in position.

4. In a wall board lifting device of the character described, aplatform, means for shifting said platform vertically, means forswinging said platform about a horizontal axis, to arrange the same in aconvenient tilted position for the application of a sheet of wall boardthereto, and resilient holding devices including leaf spring stopssecured to the platform adjacent to one edge thereof and normallyextending beyond the face thereof, for engaging an adjacent edge of awall board to hold the same in position, said holding devices beingdesigned to be shifted through contact with the structure to which theboard is to be applied.

5. A wall board handling structure, comprising a standard formed of aplurality of telescoping sections, means for extending said sections, apair of cars carried upon the upper end of the upper one of saidsections, a shaft mounted between said ears and projecting beyond theouterfaces of the same, a ratchet carried uponsaid shaft between thecars, a manually controlled element engaging said ratchet t-o p rcventturning thereof, a wall board supporting platform, and bracket memberseach secured to one end of said shaft and acting to support saidplatform in adjusted position.

6. A wall board handling structure, comprising a standard formed of apluralit of telescoping sections, means for exten ing said sections, apair of ears carried upon the upper end of the upper one of saidsections, a shaft mounted between said ears and projecting beyond theouter faces of the same, a ratchet carried upon said shaft between theears, a manually controlled element engaging said ratchet to preventturning thereof, a wall board supporting platform, and bracket memberseach secured to one end of said shaft and acting to support saidplatform in adjusted position, and means carried by said-ears forlimiting the swinging movement of said brackets in one direction to stopsaid platform in horizontal position.

In testimony whereof I. afiix my signature.

ALSACE S. BLAN DFORD.

